Thomas Laehn, assistant to county attorney Nic Martino, wants to make his position obsolete before his two-year contract expires.
Laehn graduated from the University of Iowa college of law in May and joined the county attorney’s office earlier this month. His job title will change to assistant county attorney after he is admitted to the Iowa bar in early fall.
He proposed to the county supervisors Monday that the county purchase ProLaw case management software, which is already used in 51 Iowa counties. He said the software would provide “numerous efficiencies” for himself and office assistant Jeri Angell that would likely allow the office to function with two people rather than three.
He also said use of case management software will become “ethically mandatory” as a demonstration of competence to practice law in the future.
Cost to the county would be about $6,000 annually. The supervisors asked Laehn to continue the process of obtaining the software. There is money in the current fiscal year budget for part of the purchase, auditor Jane Heun said.
